Denver’s Olympic Exploratory Committee Recommends 2030 Bid

Denver’s Olympic Exploratory Committee has suggested that the city state pursue a bid for the 2030 Winter Games. According to Sky Hi News, the committee said that they would like to push for a referendum as soon as 2020. The timeline is extremely long. A bid committee would be created in 2020, candidate city would be chosen in 2023, then the US Olympic Committee would approve the city in 2030 for the official bid.

While contrasting the lengthy process, the recent debate has Colorado communities riled regarding the Olympic bid. The state-wide referendum, which seems like the best solution, gives a platform for skeptical mountain town communities. Summit County, whom well could host many of the skiing events, are fearful of politicians and planners such as Governor Hickenlooper who gave his stamp of approval. Hickenlooper stated that the city has hosted bigger events and there environmental, economical, and social benefits.

While this might seem tantalizing for some, for others it feels like picking at an old wound. Back in 1976, an environmentally conscious Colorado electorate voted against publicly funding the Olympic games. After that, the IOC had to scramble to find a replacement, settling on Innsbruck, Austria, and has since then cautiously examining public funding.